GT Pie BLog

GT Pie & Michigan Blood Team Up To Save Lives

Here’s a delicious reason to donate blood. When you think of blood donations, many probably think of cookies and juice… but pies are taking center stage in a recent partnership announcement.

Grand Traverse Pie Company is teaming up with Michigan Blood to encourage blood donations by giving back to blood donors. Over the next three years, GT Pie will donate nearly $10,000 in gift cards to Michigan Blood. The gift cards will then be handed out to donors through Michigan Blood’s ‘Acts of Random Thanks’ (‘ART’) program.

“This partnership allows us to give back to those who give to us in an even greater way,” said Carleen Crawford, Director of Marketing & Communications for Michigan Blood.

Through the ‘ART’ program, Michigan Blood’s community relations team offers messages of thanks through letters with gift cards attached. As the name implies, it’s done at random times – and in different locations – throughout the year.

At GT Pie our focus is to help provide healthy futures for the children and families of Michigan. This is another way to show our dedication to being a Michigan-first company.

“Our vision is to be a respected Michigan brand; we believe that this is only achieved when we dish out respect ourselves. We hope our partnership with Michigan Blood shines the light on the importance of giving blood to help save Michigan lives,” said Mike Busley, co-founder of GT Pie.

Michigan Blood is the primary provider of blood and blood products for more than 60 hospitals in Michigan, including Spectrum Health, Metro Health, and Mercy Health St. Mary’s. Donations given outside of Michigan Blood do not have direct local impact. Donating blood with Michigan Blood helps save the lives of patients in Michigan hospitals. Any healthy person 17 or older (or 16 with parental consent) who weighs at least 112 pounds may be eligible to donate, although females age 18 and under must weigh 120 pounds or more. Blood donors should bring photo ID. Michigan Blood is currently in urgent need of O-Negative blood donations. To schedule an appointment, please call 1-866-MIBLOOD (642-5663) or schedule online .

Hi Christina, thank you for getting in touch and for donating blood. The gift cards are only through the Michigan Blood Centers listed above and we have no control over the ART process that gives the cards out after blood is donated. It is a random process through the Acts of Random Thanks.